Locking-valve for fuel-tanks



`A.- c-. BLACK AND J. D'..-CLARK.'

LOCKING'VA'LVE-FOR FUEL TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1919.

15,377,889. Patenamay 10,1921.

A. GBL/16K JD. CLARK .B- iw-Mmi .40 i 1 'contain' gasolene zor otherliquid fuel, which 5 thereof.

A further 'a locking mechanism.'

omiso stares revenir i carica.

I Y ALONZO C. l:BLACK AND JOSEHD. CLARK, 0F DES MOINES, IOTA.V

LOCKING-VALVE FOR FUEL-TANKS.. Y

Lacasse.

Speceation of Letters Patent.`

Applicationaiea May 2e, 1919. serial No. 299,734..

ToaZZ whom tmc/,y concern 'Be itknown that we, ALONZO C. BLACK andJosnr'HD." CLARK, citizens of the United Sta-tes' of 1 America, Yandresidents of Des -Moines, Polkcouiity, Iowa, have invented va 'new Y.anduseful `4Locking-Valve for Fuel- Tanks, of which the following is aspecication.

The object of this invention is to provide anv improved locking valvefor fuel supply tanks. *L

A'furtherobject of this invention is to provide improved means forpreventingv unauthorized use of la motor Avehicle by cutting 0E andlocking the outlet to the fuel tank object of this invention is toprovide an improveflrota'ry valve devi-ce for cutting'ofl'I ltheou-tletto a fuel tank, said valve being operable by` a removable key ofAfurther obj-ect of this 'invention vis lto provide improved means formounting a lockingvalve in a fuel tank.

A further object of 'thisinvention is to provide an improvedconstruction whereby Ya lock of a common type is adapted for use withaiotaiy pose. Y

' Qur invention consists in the construction, arrangement ,andcombination of elements hereinafter setv forth, pointed out in ourAclaims' and illustrated by the accompanying valve, for a particularpur- "drawing, Yin whichv 35 Figure 1 is a cross-section through a fueltank, illustrating Iour improved locking valve in open position'. Fig. 2isa section ait right angles to Fig. 1.

Inthe construction of the device as shown the numeral designates a tankadapted to "tank is formed with an'outlet 11 in its bot- `tom fromwhich'the liquid fuel may be led by 'a' suitable pipe (not shown) Ato vacarbureter'or other place of use. A small hole 12 kiis formed in the'top of the tank 10 directly place relative to the tank. The screws maybe sealed in place by soldering over their heads, to prevent tamperingwith the locking mechanism. The lock y13 has the usual rotaryplug or'barrel' 16, operable by a removable key 17, and adapted to be immovablyconnected bythe locking mechamsm tothe lock body' when said key iswithdrawn.

` A tubular valve casingv 18 is secured in they outlet 11, yand ysaidsocket memberV and the valve casing 18 are suitably secured to thetankwall toniake a rigid and liquid vtight joint.- The socket member 20 isadapted to receive a connection of the fuel line pipe. A rotary valvemember 21 ismounted iii and projects at its upper end fromv` thePatented May 1o, i921.

casing 18, and said valve is formed with an L-shaped port 22communicating at its outer end with the outlet 11 and adapted tocommuiiicate at times at its inner end with the inlet opening 19 of thecasing. A semi-cirvcumferentialI slot 23 yis formedin the valveYengaging the other end'of the .slot when said valve has been turnedsubstantially a half turn, or 180 degrees, from lsuch open posi# tion.

Any suitable meansmay be provided for Yconnecting the rotary valvemember 21 to theV Vrotating 'member 16 Vof the lock, either directly orthrough intermediate members. Inasmuch as the common types of locks suchas here shown ordinarily require a complete revolution of the lockingmember, such as `16, and consequentlyof the key 17 to turn fromnnloc'kedto lockedvposition and permit withdrawal of thefkey, we have provided aVAslip connection between said locking' member and the rotary valve inorder that such complete revolution of the locking member and key willresult in but a half =rotation of said sleeve.

revolution of the valve. A sleeve 25 is rotatably mounted on theprojecting upper end portion of the valve member 21 and projects abovethe'top of said valve member.v A flat link 26 enters theJ upper end ofthel .16v and projects downwardly within the tank, and said link memberisuconnected to the link member 26 by a telescoping member 29, hereshown 'as embracing and frictionallyl engaging said members7 and adaptedto permit greater or .lesser separation thereof and at the same timeprovide a connection whereby rotary movement of the lock member 16 istransmitted to the sleeve 25.V a l i A pin 30 is mounted radially in theupper portion of the rotaryY valve member 21 and projects at one endthrough a semi-,circumferential slot 31 in the sleeve 25. This is theonly connectionbetween the sleeve and valve. The` pin 30 projects in theopposite direction from the pin 24C, and in turning the'key 17 fromlocked to open position the sleeve 25 first turns freely on the valve 21for a half revolution, after which a connection is formed by engagementof the .projecting end of the pin 30 with one end of" the slot'31, andfurther turning of the key results in a turning of the valve 21, for ahalf revolution, until stopped in open position by the 'pin 24. Asimilar action -takes place in turning the' key from the open to closedor locking position.

It is to be understood that the slip connection above described betweenthe lock and valve may be dispensed with where a special or other lockis employed which requires but a half revolution yof the key fromlockedl to unlocked position, and viceversa.

This invention provides a simple, convenient and eiective means forpreventing unauthorized use of a motorvehicle, by cutting ofi' the fuelsupply and locking it in such positionby simply removing the key whenthe driver leaves the vehicle.

The members ofthe valve and locking mechanism may be inserted in thetank by kremoval of an end wall thereof, or in the construction of thetank before lsuch end VWallis' securedl in place'.

lt is'to be understood'that modications may be employed, within thelscope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

le claim as our invention* 1. The combination with a tank having anoutlet, of a valve casing inclosing said outlet and having a lateralinlet opening, a rotary valve mounted in said casing and having a portadapted to form ,communication at times between said inlet opening andthe outlet, a key-controlled lock secured to said tank and having arotary member connected with said valve, said casing being formed with asemi-circum` ferential slot, and a pin 1n said valve eX- tending throughsaid slot and adapted to provide a stop means to limit rotary movementof said valve.

2. The combination with a tank having an outlet, of a tubular valvecasing mounted in said tank and inclosing said outlet, said casing beingformed with a lateral inlet, a rotary valve mounted in said casing andprojecting at one end therefrom, said 'valve being formed with a portadapted toprovide communication at times 'between said.

inlet opening and the outlet, a key-controlled lock secured to saidtankand having a rotary member, a sleeve rotatably mounted on the projectingend of said valve, said sleeve being formed with a semi-circumfer entialslot, a pin in said valve extending through said slot and adapted toform a slip connection between the sleeve and valve, and connectionsbetween the lock rotary member and said sleeve for rotating the latter.

3. rllhe combination with a tank having an outlet, of a tubular valvecasing mounted in said tank and inclosing said outlet, said casing beingformed with a lateral inlet opening, a rotary valve mounted in andprojecting at one end from said casing and formed with a port adapted toprovide communication between said inlet opening and the outlet, saidcasing being formed with a semicircumerential slot, a pin in said valveprojecting through said slot, a keycontrolled lock mounted in saidtank'having a rotary member, ya sleeve rotatably mounted on theprojecting portion of said valve, connections between the lock rotarymember and said sleeve for producing rotary movement of the latter, saidsleeve being formed with a semicircumferential slot, and a pin in saidvalve projecting through the latter slot, the last-named pin projectingfrom said valve in a direction diametrically opposite to thevfirst-mentioned pin.

Signed at Des Moines,in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, this 11thday of April, 1919. -f

